A colleague recommended that if I am buying in Conwy I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

This is a search is usually included in the estimate for your Conwy conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Conwy around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Conwy Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Conwy.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Conwy?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Conwy. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

About to purchase a new build flat in Conwy. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Conwy

The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier?

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and found one close by in Conwy I like with open areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 51 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Conwy for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

What are the specific benefits to using a high street conveyancing practitioner in Conwy

Home movers in Conwy opt for a nearby high street conveyancer so that they can attend the lawyer’s offices if they have questions, and to sign documents without using the post.

We would suggest that there exists a marginal benefit in opting for a solicitor local to a premises you are purchasing, due to the familiarity of the region and possible local issues - nevertheless this is debatable. Most conveyancers are now online and may be based anywhere.